United Utilities’  multi-million pound upgrade to the heartbeat of Liverpool’s water supply is over half way complete.

The water company is investing a total of £54 million on completely re-designing Oswestry water treatment works in Shropshire, to make it fit for the 21st century.

The original works became operational in 1892 and has never stopped supplying most of Liverpool and parts of Cheshire ever since. UnitedUtilities  engineers are using innovative methods to treat the water before it flows north by gravity towards Merseyside.

The water supply starts its journey 18 miles away at Lake Vyrnwy, where it then flows to the Llanforda holding reservoir before it is treated at Oswestry and travels by gravity a further 50 miles to Prescot reservoir in Liverpool.

United Utilities said the latest technology will allow engineers to retire the existing 23 slow sand filter beds, which will result in 210 million litres of water a day being treated for customers - the plant will be using brand new techniques to prepare supplies.

A hydro-turbine will also produce enough energy to power the site, with the daily surplus being sent into the National Grid.